The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 27, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 31, 2000
Andy Struckhoff, Alexandria, VA (US);
Yeu-Hwa Shyy, Fairfax, VA (US);
DCS Corporation, Alexandria, VA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatically inspecting transparent or translucent materials, especially plastic materials, the apparatus including a light container, at least one camera, a digital processor, and a reject mechanism, the method comprising conveying a particle of the material through the light container, capturing an image of the particle with the camera, identifying defects in the image with the digital processor, and separating out defective material by communication between the digital processor and the reject mechanism. The light container is an illumination device, preferably an integrating sphere, that has two opposing openings through which a particle can pass and one or more other openings or windows through which one or more cameras view the particle.